Mahopac Schools Adopt Budget With 0% Tax Levy Hike

By Holly Crocco

The Mahopac School Board on April 21 adopted a $148.3 million budget for 2026-27, which represents a 2.23 percent spending increase over the current year. The proposed tax levy of $94 million comes in at about $2.1 million less than what is allowed under the state-mandated property tax cap, which equals a 0 percent tax levy increase.

Under the cap, the district could have opted to raise the tax levy by 2.32 percent.

For a home valued at $500,000, the budget will increase property taxes by about $4.35 for the year for residents in the Town of Carmel, and about $1.75 for the year for residents in the Town of Putnam Valley.

“The reason why it’s not a flat 0 is because when I’m working on this formula, I’m using last year’s assessment information, and… based on the assessors from the Town of Carmel and the Town of Putnam Valley, it could change your assessment,” said Alyssa Murray, assistant superintendent for finance and operations at Mahopac Central School District.

“If your assessment stayed the same, then it would be a flat 0. But, obviously, I can’t say that for every person in the community.”

About 63 percent of revenue in the budget comes from property taxes, with about 29.4 percent ($43.6 million) coming via state aid, 4.73 percent ($3.5 million) from the fund balance, and about 2.5 percent from “other receipts.”

“The property tax levy is the main driver of our budget,” explained Murray. “New this year, we’re using reserves to fund the budget on the revenue side.”

When it comes to expenses, 52.5 percent of the budget ($77.9 million) will go toward salaries, with 23.7 percent ($35.1 million) going toward benefits. About 9 percent covers BOCES contractual expenses, with 5 percent going toward contractual services. About 3 percent covers debt service, 2.5 percent covers tuitions, 2 percent will go toward supplies, and 1 percent ($1.9 million) to transportation.

Another way to break it down is to note that a majority of the budget – $123.3 million – goes toward programming. “It’s over 80 percent of our budget, which is great,” said Murray.

A total of $15.3 million goes toward capital expenses, with $9.7 million earmarked for administrative costs.

Murray noted that, when you combine all the salaries and benefits, special educations services, utilities, and debt service, 78 percent of the budget is contractual – including employee and union agreements, and debt service.

This leaves only 22 percent for discretionary spending, such as materials and supplies, curriculum enhancements, athletics, extracurriculars, and facility upgrades.

According to Murray, the district’s enrollment history has been steady for the past few years. “Right now we’re at about 3,886 students,” she said.

One teacher and two supporting staff have been added to the special education program to meet student need for an added class.

The budget for athletics remains neutral, with highlights including the purchase of a storage unit for equipment.

The budget for facilities includes about $1 million for maintenance projects, such as parking lot striping, plumbing, and HVAC; as well as building-requested projects such as chemical storage room renovation at the high school, exterior door replacement at the middle school and Austin Road, abatement and flooring replacement of four classrooms at Fulmar Road, and repainting and repointing of the Lakeview main entrance.

“Every year our director of facilities meets with the buildings (administration), and gets a priority list from them on projects that the buildings would like to do,” said Murray. “We cost them out and make sure they work withing our budget.”

About $522,840 in the security budget is earmarked for glass mitigation, radio purchases and cataloging, an added school resource officer/special patrol officer, and contracted security for after-school and summer events.

One resident accused the board of trying to make it look like the district isn’t spending money by using reserve funds.

“It seems to me that you guys do a good job at how to spend money, but not on conserving and not spending,” he said. “It’s like you’re borrowing from Peter to pay Paul… The property values are going down because the taxes are going up. People can’t afford to live here. The teachers can’t afford to live here.”

A public budget hearing is scheduled May 7, with the budget vote and school board election taking place May 16 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., at Mahopac High School.

Along with the budget, there will also be a proposition to allow the district to spend $1.6 million to continue with its 12-year bus replacement plan, as well as a proposition to establish a capital reserve fund.

Murray noted that no money will be allocated for the fund with the vote.

“It gives the opportunity for the board, if they would like, to put any future or current unassigned, unexpended fund balance into this account for the next 10 years, and capped at $10 million,” she said.

There are three seats up for grabs in the school board election, with the following candidates: Lindsay DiCerbo, incumbent Michael Mongon, Adam Savino, Evan Yi-Win Fu, Jaime Dickson, Joseph Catalli, and Alana Sweeny.